Claw-hammer.



.W. R. BENJAMIN.

CLAW HAMMER. APPLICATION mm MAY], 1918.

1,287,61 9. Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

INVENTCR ATTO R N EY WALTER RoGERs BENJAMIN, or CI-IINOOK, MO TANA.

CLAW-HAMMER."

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 1*?" 1918,

Application filedMay 7, 1918. Serial No. 233,006.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER MIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chinook, in the county of Blaineand State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Claw-Hammer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hammers and more particularly to that class known as.

- mg the said hammer handle andcto further claw hammers.

The object is to provide such a hammer with means for connecting the clawsat an intermediate point thereof tothe hammer handle adjacent to the hammer head, whereby great power may be exerted in drawing nails or the like, without the danger of breaking the said claws or-handle during such operation.

Another object is to provide means for bracing the claws and handle as above stated, and at the same time permit-of the necessary resiliency in the handle which eliminates the stinging of the hand of the operator when using the hammer, and to so arrange the said connecting means as to engage the handle and brace the same without the necessity of using screws or other fastening means. a

A full and complete understanding of the invention ma be obtainedfrom a consideration of the ollowing detailed description. taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification; it being understood that, while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to strict conformity therewith, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hammer embodying the improvements of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

In using the ordinary claw hammer to draw nails or the like in the well-known manner, it often happens, when undue power is exerted u on the handle thereof in an nipward directlon, that, by reason of the frictlonal engagement of the nail in its seat, the

handle of the hammer is broken off near the hammer, due to the great leverage provided by the length of the handle and the claws and their relative distances from the fulcrum of the hammer head.

i To obviate the possibility of thus break strengthen the claws byconnecting the two,

without, in any way interfering with the desired resiliency of the handle, which should not be bound or secured at any point outside of its point of entrance into the hammerv results very effectually. The hammer head 1 having the usual nose 2 and claws 3, is provided with the handle socket 4, at the proper intermediate point between the nose and claws to secure the proper balancing thereof when applied to the handle 5 in an ordinary'manner. a

By reason of the improved bracing orv strengthening means about to be described, the customary tapered walls forming an eX- tension of the'socket and embracing theend of the handle where entering the head, are

dispensed with, thus effecting a material saving in the'cost of manufacture of hammers, as the above extenslon of the socket has been found to be expensive te -produce.

-At an intermediate point of the length of the claws 3, a metallic, substantially V- shaped loop 6 is provided, extending toward and embracing the handle 5 and having its 7 terminals secured to the claws as by electrically welding or otherwise permanently securing the same. The spaced arms 7 of the loop 6 are preferably flat, relatively thin, arcuately curvedmembers, placed edgewise of the longitudinal axis of the hammer handle 5, and having their concaved edges directed toward the head of the ham.- mer, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The end of the loop 6, or connecting part or bridge between the arms, as indicated at 8, is bent to closely fit the handle the sides of the loop embracing the sides of said handle at a point adjacent to the head. The claws, in the present instance, may be somewhat lengthened in order to facilitate their use in prying up boards or the rounded where connected to the claws, as

shown at 9, in order to lend great strength to the point of jimcture with said claws.

From the foregoing it will be seen that simplemeans have'been provided for connecting the claws of a hammer to the handle thereof, which will effectually brace the same and aid materially in preventing breaking the handle when excessive power is applied in drawing out nails or the like.

The arms do not interfere in the slightest I in applying the claws to the head of a nail,

no matter what size the latter may be, as there is ample room between the claws and the bracing arms for the passage of the same. Furthermore the claws extend beyond the terminals of the arms 7, where connected to the former, sufficiently to be advantageously used in prying up boards and for other kindred uses. The additional cost of providing a hammer with the herein described improved strengthening means is balanced by the eliminationof the extended socket referred to, so that the-hammer may bemanufacturedat a reasonable cost.

The arms 7 further render the hammer capable of being hung. upon a nail without turning thereon and dropping off as is the case with most hammers not provided with the device. bracing loop does not obstruct the nail re- It will be observed that the cciving slot or space separating, the claws, and the same free use of the claws is permitted as with an ordinary claw hammer.

What is claimed is 1. A claw hammer comprising a hammer head, claws, and a handle, a substantially V-shaped loop consisting of arms integrally connected to the claws at an intermediate point of their lengths, and a bridge connecting the ends of the arms and bearing against the handle, the sides of the loop fitting closely the sides of said handle, wherebytlie claws and handle are mutually braced, the spacebetween'the claws being unobstructed throughout, whereby free use of'the claws is permitted.

2. A claw hammer comprising ahammer head, claws, and a handle, spaced, arcuatelydisposed flat-faced arms rising from the hammer claws at an intermediate point of their lengths toward the said handle and set edgewise to the longitudinal axis of the handle, the outer faces of said arms being flush with the side faces of the claws, the inner faces of: the arms gradually swelling and merging into the claws, the said arms being connected at their other ends by an end portion adapted to bear against the handle on the edge opposite to the claws for bracing the handle when the claws are in operation, the space between the claws for the engagementof a nail being unobstructed throughout, and the claws extending beyond the said arms a material distance so as to permit of their free use.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WALTER ROGERS BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

HELGE OLsoN, CARL HAVENS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained-for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

f Washington, D. O. 

